NORFOLK, VA. – A special train will travel to New York, Ohio, and West Virginia Sept. 22-26 to provide emergency preparedness training to first responders as part of the 2009 Norfolk Southern TRANSCAER Whistle-Stop Tour. TRANSCAER (Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response) is a nationwide program that assists communities in preparing for and responding to a possible hazardous material transportation incident.

“The TRANSCAER Whistle-Stop Tour underscores Norfolk Southern’s commitment to the safety of the communities in which we operate,” said David Julian, Norfolk Southern’s vice president safety and environmental. “The training provides first responders with a unique opportunity to gain important hands-on knowledge about railroad equipment, the transport of chemical materials by rail, and the importance of planning for potential hazardous material transportation emergencies.”

The tour kicks off in Buffalo, N.Y., and makes stops in Cleveland, Toledo, and Columbus, Ohio, winding up in Charleston, W.Va. At each location, state and local emergency planning committees, emergency responders, and government officials can participate in hands-on drills and training sessions conducted by chemical and rail transportation experts. Railroad tank cars used for training, specialized emergency response vehicles, and over-the-road tank trucks will be on display. More than 200 participants are expected at each stop.

This is the tenth TRANSCAER train Norfolk Southern has sponsored since 1994. More information, including local contacts, tour times, and program information, is available at www.transcaer.org. TRANSCAER members include volunteer representatives from the chemical manufacturing, transportation and distribution industries, and government. TRANSCAER sponsors include the Association of American Railroads, American Chemistry Council, The Chlorine Institute, CHEMTRECÂ®, The Fertilizer Institute, National Association of Chemical Distributors, National Tank Truck Carriers Inc., U.S. Department of Energy (Environmental Management Office), and the Renewable Fuels Association.

The schedule for the 2009 TRANSCAER Whistle-Stop Tour will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. as follows:

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is a leading North American transportation provider. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 21,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal and industrial products.

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